8/15/2021
Merritt Speedway
Vandermark Dominates “Factory Stock” Night to Pocket $3000 Payday
The Merritt Speedway opened its gates for another full night of racing. It was “Fan Appreciation” night at the 1/4-mile dirt oval in Lake City, Michigan where grandstand admission was only five dollars, and the fans were treated to an autograph session with the drivers before the night’s events. The race program was headlined by the $3000 to win special for the Thirlby Automotive Factory Stocks. The show also included The Allstar Performance Mini-Wedges, Soaring Eagle Casino DIRTcar Late Models, Troll Smokehouse B-Modifieds, Auto Value Pro Stocks, and XLT Engineering Four & Six Cylinders.
The night’s feature events started with the Allstar Performance Mini-Wedges. The restricted division was up first, and Delano Hale from Crystal, Michigan would score the win. He finished ahead of Tucker Warner, and Caiden Lechota. The Un-restricted division would see Stanton, Michigan’s Ryan Read pick up the win. Addy Wade and Leilynd Strehlke completed the top three finishers. The heat race victories went to Lechota (restricted) and Wade (Un-restricted).
The Troll Smokehouse B-Modifieds rolled onto the race surface for a 20-lap main event led out by Kevin Miller and Kevin Strehlke who started on the front row. Miller jumped out in front of the pack to lead the first lap. Strehlke would answer by taking the lead on lap 2. He would maintain the lead until lap 8, that was when Nate Jones who started ninth weaved his way up through the field and made the pass for the lead. Jones would go on from there to pick up the win. This would be the first win of the season for Jones, the native of Alma, Michigan in his #79. Austin Harnick finished in second. 2019-track champion Jacob Flickinger, Richie Sutherland, and Michael Haynes rounded out the top five. Harnick and Rich Robinson Sr. won the heats.
The Auto Value Pro Stocks squared off in a 20-lap A-Main. Andrew Steele and Anthony Schweifler led the field down to the green flag. Steele stormed off with the lead in the early going. On Lap 7 2020-track champion Nate Muprhy would take the lead for himself. However Jack Emmons would also battle for and take the lead. Murphy and Emmons traded the lead for several laps. Until Emmons would eventually pull away and never look back to go on from there to pick up the win. Steele would finish in second. Murphy, Tim Murphy, and Danielle Robinson capped off the top five. Robinson and Steele won the heat races.
The 30-lap feature event for the Soaring Eagle Casino DIRTcar Late Models was out next led down to the green flag by JC Witherspoon and Greg Gokey. Gokey shot out in front with the lead after lap 1. Gokey would never have to look back from there as he would lead the entire race from start to finish. Gokey, the native of Buckley, Michigan scored his second win of the year in his #50. Six-time track champion Eric Spangler was the runner up finisher. Cody Bauer, 2-time American Late Model Series, and 5-time track champion David Hilliker finished out the top five. Spangler and Gokey were the heat race winners. Thirlby was the overall fast qualifier with a time of 13.308.
The 25-lap $3000 to win special for the Thirlby Automotive Factory Stocks was brought out by the front row of Brent Reil and Mike Vandermark Jr. Vandermark jumped out in front of the field on the opening circuit. That would turn out to be the move of the night for Vandermark as he would lead the entire event all the way to the checkered flag. This was the Cedar Springs, Michigan native’s first win of the year in his #26. Robbie Sternberg finished second. Josh Sternberg, Ryan Nethers, and Loren Short rounded out the top five. Nick Putman won the last chance qualifier. The heat races were won by Dean Rake Sr., Vern Buskirk, and Short.
The final event of the night belonged to the XLT Engineering Four & Six Cylinders who competed in a 15-lap event. Ty Phillips and Herb Freeman brought the field to the green. Freeman took the lead in the early going as the battle for position began. Freeman would maintain the lead through a caution plagued race. Freeman would go on to pick up the win. Freeman, the native of Prescott, Michigan collected his third win of the season in his #23. 2020-track champion Travis Skaggs would finish second. 2019-track champion Cheyanne Emery, Peter Hennard, and Josh Guoan completed the top five finishers. David Harrington, Chad Freeman, and Herb Freeman all won the heats.
This Saturday, August 21st Merritt Speedway will host the traveling cars and stars of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals “Hell Tour” bringing some of the best DIRTcar Late Model drivers in the country to Northern Michigan. The traveling tour will conclude it’s 2021 campaign and crown its champion at Michigan’s Premier Dirt Track. The late models will be joined by the Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals who will also crown a national champion. The show will include action from the return of the Great Lakes Lightning Sprints. The Auto Value Pro Stocks, Thirlby Automotive Factory Stocks, XLT Engineering Four & Six Cylinders, and Allstar Performance Mini-Wedges will all be part of the show as well. Stay tuned to the Merritt Speedway Facebook page for all of the latest updates.
Photo Credit: Randy Ellen
Article Credit: Brian Osborne
Submitted By: Justin Sharp
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